Why RP, home to IRRI, is now the world's top rice importer?

(This is a question I came across in the net while reviewing some literature. I know we import rice, but I didn't know that we were elevated? to the top position since 2008! I have no time just yet to blog about this, but just posting the question to encourage every Filipino to ask the same question or related questions, search for answers, and in our own little worlds, in our own little ways, help the Philippines be more food secure, not necessarily 100% self-sufficient. Here are some links to some reasons or attempts to answer the question:)

from Inquirer Analyst Tina Arceo-Dumlao (see links for the full article)

• Government's Neglect of Agriculture. The government is alloting only around 2% of its total budget to Agriculture even while the agriculture sector accounts for close to 19% of the GDP and employs 35% of the labor force.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080425-132556/Why-RP-home-to-IRRI-is-now-the-worlds-top-rice-importer

http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/riceproblem/index.php

from IRRI website (see links below for more information)

• Land Area: The Philippines has around 300,000 square kilometers, of which around 43,000 square kilometers of harvested area are used for rice production. As most of the country is very mountainous and consists of many small islands, suitable land is limited to expand rice production into without affecting wetlands, forests, or areas producing other crops. Urban areas also continue to expand rapidly.
• Population growth: The population of the Philippines is estimated at 97 million. Its annual growth rate of around 2% – among the world’s highest – means that just to keep pace with growing demand the country would have to increase rice production and yield at rates rarely seen in history.
• Infrastructure: Irrigation infrastructure is not used and maintained as efficiently as it could be, thus reducing productivity potential. Transport infrastructure, particularly good-quality roads, is lacking in the Philippines, which affects the transport of rice and hinders the rice trade.

http://beta.irri.org/test/j15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=393&Itemid=100104

http://books.google.com/books/irri?id=stemcfAZ8UwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=&sig=ecPVDrqcBXDMFeFz79tSoCCtkiM#v=onepage&q=&f=false

from PhilRice website (see links below)

• Population over-explosion - high annual population growth rate (2.3%)
• Increasing rice demand - rice is the staple food for more than 90% of the country's population; rice accounts for 41% of average calorie intake (IRRI World Rice Statistics)
• Deceleration in growth rates of palay production - declining land; seasonality
• High cost & risk in production - high costs of inputs; pests & diseases, problem soils, droughts & floods
• Insufficient knowledge on modern technologies - high fertilizer & seeding rates;
• Market constraints - price disturbances; poor farm-to-market roads

http://www.philrice.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=73#import